Step 1 Prep

[neilc]

hello everyone...i am just putting together my study plan for Step 1, which i will be taking in late august, and i wanted to bounce my ideas off y'all, see what you think. i am shooting for a very high score, as i am an img and want all the doors to be open as wide as possible.

so, i am thinking that i want to use the most simple material that would include all the information likely to be on the test. also, i want to practice the same style questions over and over and over. here is my plan:

books: First aid, BRS path, phys, micro, biochem and pharm, usmle behavior science, neuroanatomy and clinical anatomy made rid simple. also, i plan just to casually read the UCV series when i have small amounts of time.

practice questions: kaplan q-bank, retired NBME questions and answers, 2 books of practice questions, web-path, and the appleton and lange cd with timed practice exams.

i will have about 10 weeks, and that should be time to do all those books at least once thoroughly, and i will do something like 100 questions a day.

any ideas as to my plan? am i leaving anything out, or hitting anything too hard? i have a good base from my basic science education, but i really want to know everything well when exam time comes..

thanks in advance!

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[Olanzapine]

Just a couple bits of advice: I would recommend sticking only with what's in FIrst aid for anatomy, neuroanatomy, pharm, and biochem (ie don't read your other books on the subject, only use them to look stuff up if somethingin first aid isn't clear to you). I'm hesitant to recommend that you purchase any more books since you already have too many, but if you have an extra 30 bucks, I found that step up, the revised edition complements first aid well. You can study for 75% by blocks (using first aid), and then spend 25% of your time studying by systems (using step up). Go section by section in those two books and you should be fine.

 

[theodore]

I just hope you are talking about fuul time, no-classes in the way weeks. I have been studying for step 1 along with classes and course exams, and te whole thing has lasted for the past 1.5 year. Best of luck Neilc, go go European med schools!

 

[BellKicker]

Neil, 10 weeks is plenty of time. You'll be longing for the test after 5 weeks, I bet. I studied for 7 weeks, which felt about right, even a little long. Remember, it's all about peaking.

I think your layout is looking good. I've never heard of BRS pharm and micro, though; maybe they're good, I don't know. I used A&L for those, which was probably overkill. I strongly recommend using more than just FA for those 2 subjects, though.

Good luck.

 

[neilc]

yeah, the more i look at my plan the more i like it. i am glad to hear 10 weeks is enough, because i honestly think that is a long time to spend studying. it is dedicated time, no other classes. i have been a slow and steady study guy thru med school. i just do a couple hours a day, everyday and that does me right. i worry about motivation, but i think that the benefits of a good (heck, why not great!!!) score are motivation enough.

bellkicker, i was hoping you would check out my plan. i know you kicked a$$ on step 1, and you are also from europe. i like the BRS series for everything because it is in outline form with good little section quizzes. they are great if you have already done your work in class because they focus your thoughts. my thoughts on FA are to use it as a guide to what topics i should really know, not so much as a study resource. and questions, questions questions. for pacing purposes i plan to read early, and then just kill practice exams and do spotty review where i am weak.

i am already nervous about this test, but i know if i get the work done i can kill it

thanks so much for the input everyone!

 

[doc74]

q bank u can have it in cheap mail on this
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